Main spring inserter



April 3, 1962 D. LAvlANo MAIN SPRING NsERTER Filed Jan. 24, 1961 In -lll I, lll

FIG. l

FIG. 2

INV EN TOR.

00M /AI///Va United States atent 3,028,004 MAIN SPRING INSERTER Don Laviano, 119 Washington Place, New York, N.Y. Filed Jan. 24, 1961, Ser. No. 84,546 9 Claims. (Cl. 206-70) This invention relates to the art of watch making and more particularly to a device for simplifying the insertion of a main spring into a main spring barrel.

Various types of watch movements employ main springs which are subject to continuous stresses during the operation of the watch and are therefore one of the parts of a watch movement most likely to require repair and replacement. This is because very often the main spring is overwound and distorted past its elastic limit or broken. Further, during use and reuse the connections of the main \\spring with the other elements of the watch may pull apart, or the watch spring may crystallize and crack and break at these points or elsewhere throughout the length considerable tension and therefore since it must be inserted into the barrel in a tensioned state, themain spring has to be wound prior to insertion in the barrel. Because of the relatively small size of the parts employed, the main spring often becomes unwound during vthe various operations heretofore necessary for insertion of the main spring into the barrel.

In addition, when installing unbreakable type alloy springs in their barrels, considerable diculties arise in handling the main spring and arbor. Because of these diiculties Very often the main spring bar-rel may be scored or otherwise damaged, or the main spring may be broken during handling. Also, the main spring or arbor may ily out of the barrel because of faulty handling.

T he present invention provides for overcoming the difculties usually encountered by the watch maker in repairing or replacing a damaged main spring by providing means whereby a main spring may be easily and efficiently inserted in a main spring barrel.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of an improved main spring packing ring and inserter which can be manufactured by being stamped out of thin sheet'metal or other suitable material such as resilient plastic or the like.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a device for inserting amain spring into its barrel in which device the main spring can be indefinitely stored.

An additional object of the invention resides in the provision of a package comprising in combination a main spring for a watch movement and means for inserting the main spring into its barrel.

The construction of this invention features the use of a disc preferably formed by stamping out of metal which includes an outer peripheral portion and an inner cut-out portion which is offset from the plane of the outer peripheral portion and which has a hole therethrough surrounded .by a central conical portion. The hole is adapted to receive a portion of the arbor and a conical central portion is for the purpose of spreading apart the innermost coils of the watch main spring, so that the arbor may be inserted into the main .spring and engaged therewith. 'Ihe main spring is retained on the cut-out with the outer surfaces of the spring engaging the inner peripheral edge of the peripheral portion of the device. Various types and sizes of main springs may be lstored by a jeweler or watchmaker within the devices and the main .springs may in fact be sold by the manufacturer already storedin these devices because of the fact that these devices maybe mass produced at an extremely low cost.

Still another object of the invention resides in the proice 2 vision of a main spring packing ring and inserter that lcan be used and reused, which is especially adapted to have any suitable advertising indicia or identifying material placed thereon for convenience, and which is eflicient in use.

These, together with the various ancillary objects and features of the invention which will become apparent as the following description proceeds are so attained by this main spring packing ring and inserter, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated in the accompanying drawing, by way of example only, wherein:

FIG. l is a perspective view of the main spring packing ring and inserter;

FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the device, illus-V trating the opposite side of the main spring packing ring and inserter from that of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the main spring packing ring and inserter illustrating the device with a main spring positioned thereon and illustrating how an arbor is positioned within the main spring;

FIG. 4 is a plan View of the device shown with the main spring positioned therein forming a package;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating the connection between the main spring and the arbor;

FIG. 6 is a partial elevational view of a tool which is adapted forvuse in positioning the arbor with respect to the main spring;

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view illustrating the manner in which the packing device including the main spring and arbor is adapted to be employed in conjunction with a barrel of watch movement;

FIG. 8 is a View similar to FIG. 7 but illustrating the device during an intermediate step of securing the main spring within the barrel; and

FIG. 9 is a vertical sectional view of a barrel of a watch movement after the main spring has been inserted therein.

With continuing reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, reference numeral 10 generally designates a main spring packing ring and inserter constructed in accordance with the concept of the present invention. This device is preferably stamped from any suitable material such as metal and includes a disc 12 having a peripheral portion r14 and a substantially circular cut-out portion 16. The cut-out portion 16 is formed by cutting substantially semi-circular slits 1S and Ztl in disc 12` as can be best seen in FIG. 4. Spaced parallel slits 22, 24 and 26, 28 are also formed in the disc 12,-the slits 22 and 26 communicating with the semi-circular slit 18 while the slits 24 and 28 communicate with the slit 20. In this way arms 30' and 32 which integrally interconnect the center cut-out portion 16 with the peripheral portion 14 are formed. As can be best seen in FIGS. l and 2, the peripheral portion 14 lies in one plane and the cut-out portion `16 is offset from that `plane with the arms Sti and 32 extending angularly divergently from the cut-out portion 16 to the peripheral portion14 to which they are integrally attached.

The cut-out portion l is provided with a pair of sections 34 and 36 which are bent angularly divergently towards the planes of the peripheral portion 14.

Centrally disposed in the cut-out portion 16 is a conical portion 38 which extends towards the plane of the peripheral portion i4 and which is provided with a hole 4t) therethrough.

The device 1i) is adapted to be used in combination with a watch main spring 42 having an. inner coil 44 which is secured on an arbor 46 when the main spring 42 is used in a watch movement. As can be best seen in FIGS. 3 and 5, the inner coil 46 is provided with a slot 48 therethrough for reception of a tooth 50 which is secured or integrally formed on the enlarged cylindrical portion 52 of ythe arbor 45. The arbor 46 is also provided with shaft portions 54 and S6 as well as with a hub portion 58 preferably integrally formed with the main cylindrical portions 52 of the arbor 46. The tooth 5S is adapted to extend through the slot 48 to lock the arbor within the main spring.

Referring now to FIG. 6, there is shown a portion of a' tool 80 adapted to be used in engaging an arbor 46 of a watch movement. The tool 80 includes a plurality of gripping jaws 82, 84, etc. which are made of a resilient metal such as tool steel and which jaws are hollow in construction. The jaws 82, 84, etc. are separated by slots 86. A locking ring 88 is slidably disposed about the teeth 82, 84, etc. and is adapted to be urged downwardly with respect to the arbor 46 so as to cause the teeth 82 and 84 to grip the shaft portion 56 of the arbor to hold the arbor in place. With the arbor grasped by the tool 8i) or other suitable tool, the arbor 46 is then inserted into the inner coil 44 of the main spring 42. Then, the arbor 46 is pushed down while turned slightly in a coil opening direction while the disc 12 may be supported on a soft part of the watchmakers hand. This action forces the inner coil 44 against the conical section 38 spreading the inner coil enough to allow the arbor to enter into it. The arbor is pressed all the way into the coil until the tooth Sil engages in the slo-t 48 so that the spring 42 and arbor 46 are now ready for assembly into the barrel.

The arbor 46, the spring 42, and the disc 12 form a package which may be stored by a jeweler or watchmaker and the manufacturer may make spring 42 already packaged and ready for insertion in the barrel with or without a barrel 46. As shown in FiG. 7 the package is adapted to facilitate the insertion of the main spring 42 into the barrel 9i?. The barrel 90 is of conventional construction having an end wall 92, cylindrical wall 94 which is recessed as at 96 for receiving the barrel cover plate, not shown, and has a hub portion 98 provided with a bore 100 for receiving the shaft 56 of the arbor 46. The disc 12 with the main spring 42 provided with the arbor 46 mounted therein to form an assembled package is placed on a bench with the spring 42 visible. The barrel 90 is placed over the assembly with the arbor shaft portion S8 in alignment with bore 100. The hub portion 98 forms a bearing for the shaft 56. The barrel is then pressed downward with the undercut portion 102 formed by the recess 96 engaging the peripheral portion 14.

Upon application of sufficient pressure, the arms and 32 will be flexed and the shaft portion 56 will enter the bore 100 as can be seen in FIG. 8. At this point, further pressure will cause additional flexing of the arms 38 and 32 and release the spring 42 from engagement with the inner peripheral edge 108 and 110 of the peripheral portion 14 defined by the slots 18 and Ztl.

At this point, the spring disengages from the peripheral edges 108 and 110 and the watchmaker can hear the spring releasing into the barrel. The barrel is now ready to receive its cover in the position as shown in FIG. 9.

lt is noted that the arms 30 and 32 are. made of minimum width to allow a maximum wall area of the inner peripheral edges 108 and lll to be maintained in contact with the outermost wall of the spring 42 and to provide minimum resistance through flexing when the spring is pressed in the barrel. The sections 34 and 36 are provided so that the spring will be lifted out of engagement with the inner peripheral edge portions 108 and R10 due to the fact that they extend above the plane of the peripheral portion 14 when the outer portion of the cut-out 16 is Hush with peripheral portion 14 with the arms 3i) and 32 under liexure.

The device 12 may be manufactured using a simple punch and die set. In lieu of sheet metal, resilient plastic material may be employed if found desirable.

A latitude of modification, change and substitution is intended in the foregoing disclosure and in some instances some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding u-se of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scope of the invention herein.

What I claim is:

l. A device for inserting a spring into a barrel cornprising a disk having a planar peripheral portion, a substantially circular shaped cut-out in the center of said disk, a pair of arms integral with said cut-out and with said peripheral portions forming the only connection therebetween, said cut-out being offset from the plane of said peripheral portion.

2. A device for inserting a spring into a barrel cornprising a. resilient disk having a planar ring-shaped peripheral portion, a circular cut-out surrounded by said peripheral portion, said cut-out being offset from the plane of said peripheral portion and having a pair of sections extending angularly towards said plane of said pe- I.

ripheral portion, and a pair of arms interconnecting said cut-out with lsaid peripheral portion.

3. A device for inserting a spring into a barrel comprising a disk having a planar ring-shaped peripheral portion, a circular cut-out oifset from the plane of said peripheral portion, and `a pair of arms integrally interconnecting said peripheral portion and said cut-out, said cutout having a centrally disposed hole therethrough.

4. A device for inserting a spring into a 'barrel cornprising a disk having a planar ring-shaped peripheral portion, a circular cnt-out otset yfrom the plane of said peripheral portion, and a pair of arms integrally interconnecting said peripheral portion and said cut-out, said cutout having a centrally disposed conical shaped portion extending towards said lplane of said peripheral portion, said conical shaped portion having -a hole therethrough.

5. A device for inserting a spring into a barrel comprising a resilient disk having a planar ring-shaped peripheral portion, a circular cut-out surrounded by said peripheral portion, said cut-out being offset from the plane of said peripheral portion and having a pair of sections extending angularly towards said plane of said peripheral portion, and a pair of arms integrally interconnecting said peripheral portion and said cut-out, said cutout having a centrally disposed conical shaped portion extending towards said plane of said peripheral portion, said conical shaped portion having a hole therethrough.

6. A package for use tin packaging a main spring and for insertion of the main spring into a `barrel comprising a disk having a planar ring-shaped peripheral portion, a circular cut-out offset `from the plane of said peripheral portion, a pair of arms integrally interconnecting said peripheral portion and said cuit-out, and a coil spring disposed on said cut-out and engaging the inner peripheral edge of said peripheral portion to prevent unwinding of said spring.

7. A package yfor use in packaging a mainspring and for insertion of the mainspring into a barrel comprising in combination a miainspring, a disk having `a planar ringshaped peripheral portion, a circular cut-out surrounded by said peripheral portion, said cut-out being otset from the plane of saidI peripheral portion and having a pair of sections extending -angularly towards said plane of said peripheral portion, and a pair of arms integrally interconnecting said peripheral portion and said cut-out, said mainspring being disposed within said peripheral portion resiliently supported on said sections in engagement with the inner peripheral edge of said peripheral portion.

8. A package for use in packaging a mainspring and for insertion of lthe mainspring into a barrel comprising in combination a mainspring, a disk having a planar ring-shaped peripheral portion, a circular cut-out surrounded by said peripheral portion, said cut-out being offset from the plane of said peripheral portion and having a pair of sections extending angularly towards said 5 plane of said peripheral portion, and a pair of arms integrally interconnecting said peripheral portion and said cut-out, said mainspring being disposed within said peripheral portion resiliently supported on said sections in engagement with the inner peripheral edge of said peripheral portion, said cut-out having a centrally disposed conical shaped portion extending towards the plane of said peripheral portion, said conical shaped portion having a hole therethrough, said mainspring resting on said conical shaped portion so that upon application of pressure on said mainspring said conical shaped portion will spread the inner coil thereof.

9. A package for use in pack-aging a mainspring and for insertion of the mainspring into la barrel comprising in combination a mainspring, a disk having a planar ring shaped peripheral portion, a circular cut-out surrounded by said peripheral portion, said cut-out being oirset from the plane of said peripheral portion and having a pair of sections extending angularly towards said plane of said peripheral portion, land a pair of arms integrally interconnecting said peripheral portion and said cut-out, said mainspring being disposed Within said peripheral portions resiliently supported on said sections in engagement with the inner peripheral edge of said peripheral portion, said cut-out having a centrally disposed conical shaped portion extending towards the plane of said peripheral portion, said conical shaped portion having a hole therethrough, said mainspring resting on said conical shaped portion, and an arbor extending into said hole, said mainspring being disposed about said arbor.

References Cited in the lile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 397,566 Riglander Feb. 12, 1889 435,844 Logan Sept. 2, 1890 1,282,279 Parker Oct. 22, 1918 

